Tip #11
Capitalize on your intuition with a graphing digital thermometer

The best way to understand your data is to see it. The best digital thermometers help you visualize your data. A good example is the PR710 series handheld Reference Thermometers which let you graph your data in real time. It’s easy to know when to take a measurement if you can see for yourself the temperature is stable.

Tip #12
Throw away the paper charts and use a digital thermo-hygrometer

Use a digital thermo-hygrometer to record temperature and humidity for you calibration reports. If you use paper charts then you also probably have to keep boxes full of paper charts for years so that you will be in compliance. And if you have ever had to go back and find one of those paper charts for an audit then you’ll understand why you might wish you’d never seen a paper chart recorder.

Tip #13
Calibrate two temperatures at the same time

There are a variety of methods for calculating the true cost of downtime. Rather than calculate those costs, why not avoid them. Preventative maintenance like calibration helps manage the risk of downtime. The ability to calibrate quickly is an advantage. Rather than wait for calibrators adjust their temperature to the next test point, use a dual-block or dual-well dry-well  to run two temperatures simultaneously. With one block (or temperature well ) set at your high temperature and the other preset at a low temperature you can quickly calibrate all of your RTDs and thermocouples without waiting for the block to change temperatures. That’s smart.

Tip #14
Read multiple thermometers simultaneously

There’s more than one reason why measuring multiple thermometers at the same time could be a good idea. One is that you can be more productive if you can calibrate multiple devices in parallel rather than sequentially. Another reason for simultaneous measurement can be accuracy. If your temperature source is not very stable try measuring the reference and the device under test at the same time. Measuring both at the same time can reduce the uncertainty in your measurement by eliminating time dependent temperature differences.